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Shared Hope International: March Referral Rewards Partner

By Heidi Vanderpan

Posted on Tuesday, March 10, 2015

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Shared Hope International was established to provide hope to the women and children enslaved through sex trafficking, following the example of Jesus in serving some of the most powerless in society. Located in Vancouver, Shared Hope leads prevention strategies, restoration programs and justice initiatives to combat sex-trafficking in the U.S. and abroad.

Shared Hope International’s story began in 1998 when U.S. Congresswoman Linda Smith traveled into the heart of the brothel district in Mumbai, India where she witnessed the brutal exploitation and sexual slavery of women and children. She then established Shared Hope International to rescue and restore women and children enslaved in sex trafficking. The organization’s focus has been on preventing victimization, addressing the long term restoration needs of those who are rescued and bringing justice to survivors of this terrible crime.

How they do it:

· They provide customized training for professionals including law enforcement, juvenile justice, and service providers and community members to identify, rescue and restore.

· They are a respected voice of advocacy for federal legislation on behalf of sex-trafficked children.

· Through the National Restoration Initiative, they are helping individuals and organizations address the nationwide need for shelter and services.

Ways you can help:

· Learn more about your state’s Protected Innocence Challenge, which grades states on 41 key legislative components that must be addressed in a state’s laws in order to effectively respond to the crime of domestic minor sex trafficking

· Alert your local media and federal and state legislators about the issue through Shared Hope’s website at www.sharedhope.org

· Access Shared Hope resources to train law enforcement, social service providers and other first responders

· Speak and raise awareness by becoming a trained Ambassador of Hope to spread knowledge of sex trafficking to your community and offer hope to women and children enslaved in the commercial sex market

· Join the Shared Hope cause on Facebook

· Men: Take the pledge and become a “Defender” to bring dignity, honor and respect to women and children, hold other men accountable and work to end the demand for the destructive sex trafficking market